It's Been Since '73

The New York Knicks last won an NBA championship in 1973, which was 53 years ago. That year they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 and had a team that featured many stars including Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Bill Bradley, Dave DeBusschere, and Earl Monroe.

To put that into perspective for myself, it was ten years before I was born and ten years after that was when I found myself to be a Knicks fan.

So, I have been a Knicks fan for 33 years of my life. I was a die-hard Knicks fan from 1993-2004. Just a fan from 2004-2022, then in 2023 my love for basketball returned again especially more-so the last two years where I started coaching it. 

Basketball is back for me. The Knicks are back for me. A championship is back for New York.

*takes a celebratory sip, which means a gulp, of freshly brewed coffee*

I can remember all of the disappointing endings to the mid to late 90's Knicks teams that failed which included the 1999 team that beat all of the odds to the Finals to fall to the Spurs. So, to have this Knicks team beat the Spurs this year, made this long wait even more worthy.

To celebrate this year's team run through the playoffs, I started adding some autographs to my collection.

But first, I had to add a new card of the Finals MVP. I like shiny cards, okay?

Now onto the autographs,

 

(one of my favorite Knicks)

(what is this auto?)

(LEGEND)

(I know it's not Knicks uniform, maybe upgrade some day)

 

And finally, we end with Marcus Camby. Not only a fun 90's player in general, but he was a Knick for a short time as well.

My goal is to land my number one want, Patrick Ewing hopefully by year's end. There are also Knick legends I am hoping to add as well, some of which are the ones above in the previous championship team. Most wanted would be Willis Reed from that group. But would like to add them all. They are names my father talked about for years.

I do have two other Knicks cards on their way and will post those when they arrive. They are not autographed, but cool regardless. Some day when my arm is healthy, I would like to put my PC back together and see where I am at.

*takes a sip before closing up today's post*

I am not sure how many people can say they have watched all of their sports teams win a championship, but now I finally can. I have seen two NY Giants Super Bowls, many NY Yankees World Series and now I have a Knicks Championship. I can die a happy New York fan with a cup of coffee by my side of course.

In comments today, what was your thoughts on this year's Finals, and have you seen all of your sports teams win a championship?

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Trying It Out

*hears a noise, gets up from computer and sees that the cat had knocked stuff off a shelf. stops to think about picking it up now, but decides to come back down to laptop and coffee, because it's time for some Cards Over Coffee*

Today, kicks off the first post with my lightbox photos. I know these photos won't be perfect as I continue to figure out how to use it, but I think they are drastically improved from what they were. Glad I am trying it out.

*hears another noise, cat must be getting into something else or tearing apart the stuff they already knocked over. gets up, takes care of the mess, then comes back to sit to continue on with the latest #CardsOverCoffee post*

Another thing I was glad I tried out was trading with blog reader Oren. He has been my most consistent trader of 2021 as I have shown off a multitude of trades on here from him.

This is my most recent one that included cards from most PC areas,

NY Giants. The lightbox really shows off the shine on the Slayton card.

Fleer Metal universe! I can never get enough of it!

90's inserts. I have never seen these up close before.

Side Player PC in Curtis Martin. I still desperately need the Ground Zero parallel of his 1995 Summit rookie card.

Sets. This is only the third or maybe fourth towards my set chase of these 1995 Topps Boosters. Such beautiful cards and now they can be captured better on here with the help of the Lightbox.

90's Relics. Today's relics have no comparison to these.

And finally, a Lamar Jackson Score rookie card. What a game he had on Monday night against the Colts! He is fun to watch!

Thanks again to Oren for another fun trade, I know we just finished another yesterday so I will be showing those off on here soon as well.

*takes a sip before finishing up today's post*

I think the lightbox worked out well today even though I may need more practice with how I take and set up the photos. Otherwise, I am very pleased.

Thoughts on my mail day or the lightbox pictures are welcomed in comments below.

Have a great rest of your Friday and thanks for reading! Please add this to your blogroll or share the posts when you can. Thank you in advance.

*Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Cards From A Blogger

*coffee is poured and cards are next to the computer and are ready to be discussed. It's time for some #CardsOverCoffee*

I realize every time I get a package or pwe from a fellow blogger, how I don't trade enough with my own kind. Is there a reason for that? I don't think so. I always have plenty of trade bait of every team from every sport but maybe it's wondering if they have something I like. I would say 95% of card bloggers are die hard baseball card collectors and I have been slowly drifting further away from that sport other than late 90's inserts/parallels/set building (which for me is 1995-1999), Ken Griffey Jr and Derek Jeter. It's mainly football and non sport for me at this point other than obviously that 90's stuff for every sport.

I can't say that all bloggers may not have something for me, because one definitely has me figured out. Dennis from Too Many Verlanders blog fame recently sent a package my way that included a little bit of everything I collect.

*takes a sip, gets ready to show off the package*

  

 

Dennis sent along some eye popping Giants cards. Only a couple I had, so the rest are brand spankin' new.

 

This Frank Gifford I have, but this is a huge upgrade to mine that has bad corner issues. Out with the old, in with the new! Still need a Gifford autograph card at some point.

*takes a sip, coffee is starting to get a little cold. Maybe it's time this cup goes out with the old and comes in with the new*

 

I don't nearly collect Griffey as deeply as I used to, but I have a feeling it will be making a bigger comeback soon. These two new cards helps.

Always was a fan of these Boss inserts of the 90's. Colorful and embossed, awesome.

Paul Perkins auto from Infinity

Ramses Barden Red Zone parallel autograph. This card is numbered to 30.

Here's a new one for me, Jai Lewis autograph. A Giants player I had no autographs of. Big plus here!

Hakeem Nicks Freshan Orientation relic

Paul Perkins Mirror Red relic.

Another Ramses Barden autograph. This time from Topps Magic.

This wasn't the end of this mail day however. Dennis threw up some trade bait on his blog and fortunately I was one of the first able to claim.

Keep in mind, I am not a Twins fan.

But I am a 1997 Leaf Fractal Matrix fan.

So I claimed every one he tossed up.

Also claimed this Chuck Knoblauch Artist Proof which will also go in my 90's collection.

Next card, yes another Twin, is this Marty Cordova Stadium Club Matrix card. Really beautiful parallel and I will take 'em all!

 

The next card, well, this doesn't quite fit with what I listed above. But, it is a side PC. I collect oddball relics you don't see every day. Move over jersey cards, Authentic Game Used Court swatches are winners!

And the final card, yes I do have this Rueben Randle. But, in my collection a different numbered card counts as a different card. So welcome Rueben Randle number 200something.

Thanks to Dennis for the latest mail day.

*takes a sip before closing*

There are a couple bloggers I trade with a couple of times yearly, with Dennis being one of them and a couple of former bloggers I trade with as well. But, maybe it's time I start to reach out to other bloggers and see what we can work out.

*until then, Coffee Card Blogger Out*

Why Do I Consider These Things?

 

*takes a sip of coffee, sits down to type his latest installment on Cards Over Coffee*

I wanted to start off today's post by saying thanks for the well wishes in terms of the kidney stones. I have yet to pass them so still not feeling that great today but trying my best just to push through. I don't get to see my urologist until the 14th so I am praying hard they pass by then. If not I could be staring down surgery once again and I don't really want to head down that road in 2020.

So I don't know if its the pain meds talking or I am going crazy or maybe it's the cards in today's post served up by The Diamond King, but I have an itch to start up an all 90's card blog again. Tell me if you have heard this story from me before.

Picture this, a blog dedicated to cards from 1995-1999 covering all sports, all of my projects, and all of my completions and of course all of my needs. Combine that with some pop culture and 90's cartoons and it sounds like a beautiful harmony. But, once again, would I have the time to make it worth my while? Or would it be another one of my projects that I start and quit?

This is the fork in the road I am at right now with the idea. 

I don't want to start any new projects without doing it right or finding time to do so. On top of all of this craving to start a 90's blog, I really want to expand and do a NY Giants one as well focusing on the biggest collection I have. There are a lot of team blogs, not sure I have seen an NFL one, so I know it would be fun but a lot also to tackle.

Why do I even consider these things?

*takes a sip of coffee, feeling like breakfast may be a good idea soon*

Regardless of which road I take with those ideas, I thought it was finally time to show off rest of the cards that The Diamond King, sent to me. They have been sitting in my drafts for way too long now originally as a mini series but I changed my mind and did this as one post.

There really isn't too much to say about these cards as the cards themselves do the talking,

 

 

 

If those didn't make you want to start up a 90's card blog, I am surprised. The only way those don't interest you is if you aren't reading this post at all.

Thanks to The Diamond King for one epic mail day I am still working on sorting months later.

As for 90's Cards Over Coffee, sorry was feeling that out, I am not sure what I will do moving forward. I will say I am much wiser than I used to be when it comes to just starting up a blog or two knowing my time restrictions and patience on those blogs to build up. 

This blog isn't quite where I want it to be or even close to be yet, but it's like this raisin toast. It isn't quite as good as my cinnamon raisin bagel, but good enough to keep coming back for more.

Maybe those new ideas turn out to be raisin toast or maybe they will turn out to be slices of bread with what appears to be raisins. For now, I have time and patience to make that decision and in the meantime, I need to focus on getting the "raisin" out of me.